Energy Websites

WHAT'S NEW AT EETWEB.COM: NEW VIDEOS

See these new entries at EE&T's video library:

Solar community

The Drake Landing Solar Community is a 52-home subdivision that uses the sun's energy to supply 90% of space heating and up to 70% of domestic hot water needs. The system uses 800 commercial solar collectors in conjunction with seasonal storage to provide heat as needed.

Smart energy

Experts from Digi International demonstrate several applications that save energy using iDigi technology, a wireless M2M system that helps consumers and utilities distribute and use energy more efficiently.

PV upgrade

Photovoltaic panels can suffer a 50% power loss when shade covers only 9% of the panel. National Semiconductor engineers talk about this and other problems that plague solar electric systems, and show how the SolarMagic inverter recovers a large percentage of this missing power.

SOLAR DECATHLON WINNER

This October, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) hosted the Solar Decathlon — a competition in which 20 teams of college and university students competed to design, build, and operate the most attractive, effective, and energy-efficient solar-powered house.

Engineering TV talks with Preet Anand from this year's winner, Santa Clara University's Refract House, made in conjunction with California College of the Arts. The Refract House uses the latest in sustainable, bio-based building materials, cutting-edge thermal efficiencies, and comprehensive controls systems. View the two-part series at http://engineeringtv.com.

EFFICIENCY DESIGN TOOL

The Motortec STPe v1.5 is Groshopp's latest speed, torque, and power calculator for gearmotors. It lets engineers estimate electrical current and losses to optimize motor selection and calculate operating costs based on power consumption. Links determine electrical rates of U.S. locations and energy costs are calculated for various efficiencies. Get it at www.groschopp.com.

GREEN CALCULATORS

WEG's online green calculators let engineers enter data and see efficiency and energy savings from NEMA-premium motors and variable frequency drives. The site, www.weggreen.com, also contains details on the government's Energy Independent and Security Act (EISA) and mandates for 2010.

ON-LINE JOB SERVICE

The National Electronic Distributors Assn. has launched an interactive job board. Members and nonmembers can post resumes and view available jobs based on user-defined search criteria. Visit the site at http://careercenter.nedassoc.org.

STAY UP TO DATE

Don't miss out on upcoming energy-efficiency happenings. See the Events section of http://eetweb.com for upcoming meetings, conferences, and exhibitions on energy efficiency and alternative energy.

KIDS SAVING ENERGY

At the DOE's energy efficiency and renewable energy Website (www.eere.energy.gov), kids can discover ways to use energy wisely at home, learn about renewable energy, and play games that test their energy knowledge.